Boxscore

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Scoring runs wasn't a problem for the Saint Mary's University fastpitch softball team during the first day of the Midwest Regional Preseason Tournament.

Keeping their opponents from scoring, however, was.

The Cardinals banged out 13 hits and scored nine runs in their tournament-opener against host Washington University. Problem was, the Bearcats erupted for 10 fourth-inning runs en route to a 13-9 win.

In their second game against Wartburg, the Cardinals banged out another seven hits and plated three more runs. Wartburg, however, did SMU one better — no, make that six better — as the Knights battered the Cardinals' pitching staff for 13 hits and nine runs en route to a 9-3 win.

Jen Gutterman (Shoreview, Minn.) went 3-for-4 with a double, while Amy Langer (Savage, Minn.) and Amy Edge (Mineral Point, Wis.) each chipped in two hits in four at-bats vs. Washington University. Edge also drove in three runs for SMU.

Jackie Huegel (Alta Vista, Iowa) went 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI in the Cardinals' loss to Wartburg.

"It was a tough day for us," said SMU coach Nikki Fennern, whose team fell to 4-4 overall with the two losses. "We started out pretty strong against Washington (scoring two runs in each of the first three innings), but to give up 10 runs in the fourth — we just couldn't seem to do anything right."